Dominick Edward Svornich
August 4, 1919 – March 23, 2011
Dominick (Dom) Edward Svornich, 91, of Anacortes, died on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at the San Juan Rehabilitation Center in Anacortes after an extended illness.
Dominick was born August 4, 1919 on Bainbridge Island, WA, into a family active in commercial fishing. He graduated from the University of Washington’s ROTC program as a Naval Officer and served on destroyers and mine sweepers in the Pacific throughout the end of World War II. After the war he spent several years in Shanghai, China working with a U.S. government program, teaching Chinese fishermen how to operate large American fishing vessels in Chinese waters. The vessels were later seized and the project abandoned during the Chinese Communist revolution.
Dom then participated in several other commercial fishing projects in American waters that included converting a large American tuna seiner into a floating deep sea processor, making it the first vessel of its kind to process frozen salmon in this way in the Alaska salmon fishery. He went on to manage a number of Alaska salmon canneries and eventually moved to Anacortes, WA, first to manage a salmon cannery there and later to own and run his own small, shore-side seafood processing company.
Dominick met and married his wife, Frances (Fran Barcott), in Anacortes where Fran was born and raised. She survives him and still resides in their family home in Anacortes. Dom and Fran spent a remarkable 52 years of married life together. They were active in Anacortes civic activities and especially in support of the Croatian community and Saint Mary Catholic Church.
Dominick was preceded in death by his two older brothers, Matthew and Romald. He is survived by his younger sister, Sylvia Mowery. Dom enjoyed the company of his many nephews and grand-nephews, nieces and grand-nieces, from both the Svornich and Barcott sides of the family. He was deeply loved and respected in the community and by members of his family.
Rosary was held at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Anacortes. Visitation was held from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at Evans Funeral Chapel in Anacortes and also from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 31, 2011 at St. Mary Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, March 31, 2011 at St. Mary Catholic Church with a reception to follow at the church. Interment will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 1, 2011 at Grand View Cemetery in Anacortes, WA. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Mary Catholic Church, 4001 St. Mary’s Drive, Anacortes, WA 98221, or to the American-Croatian Club of Anacortes, 1202 7th Street, Anacortes, WA 98221.
Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc., Anacortes, WA and the San Juan Islands. To share memories of Dom, please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com.
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